A Clinton councillor will be making his return from a leave of absence after pleading guilty to one charge of assault.
A statement released by Brian Doddridge, chief administrative officer of the Village of Clinton, on May 27 noted Coun. Nicholas Kosovic will be returning to his duties as a member of the Village of Clinton council following a mandatory paid leave of absence. Kosovic was placed on mandatory paid leave from council on May 23, 2024 under Section 109.3 of the Community Charter.
Last year, Kosovic was charged with three counts of assault and one count of possessing a weapon in incidents dating back to June 2023.
On April 15, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one charge of assault, in which the Crown had proceeded summarily, usually meaning the assault was deemed less serious.
The court had granted Kosovic a conditional discharge with a probation order for a term of 18 months, according to a B.C. Prosecution Service's e-mail to 100 Mile House Free Press.
As for the rest of the charges, they were stayed, confirmed B.C. Prosecution Service.
"As Councillor Kosovic's court proceedings have concluded without a conviction for an indictable offence, he is eligible to return to his position and has regained the powers, duties, and functions of an elected councillor," Doddridge said.
Because Kosovic was found guilty under summary conviction, it did not result in disqualification from holding office under the Local Government Act.
When reached by the simplymastery for comment, Kosovic provided a lengthy statement. He said he entered a general plea to one summary count of simple assault covering a broad time frame.
"While I did not agree with all the allegations made, particularly those spread within the community, I recognized that in the context of a strained and emotionally difficult relationship, an incident, particularly one that meets the low legal threshold for simple assault, was plausible," Kosovic asserted. "There were no injuries involved."
Kosovic said he did not plead guilty to the other charges that were withdrawn and said he chose not to go to trial because he "believed it was in the best interest of everyone involved to avoid the distress and harm of a trial." He added that his plea agreement was not a way to avoid accountability but instead a way to take responsibility where he could and "protect the life I'm working to build."
"Those who know me understand that I am someone who stands on principle, even to my own detriment. But in this instance, I had to weigh that instinct against the long-term importance of protecting the things that matter most: my ability to return to teaching, to continue serving on Council, and to travel to be with my partner’s family in the States," Kosovic said. "Remaining in my education program was also at stake, and I knew this matter needed to be resolved if I was to stay on that path and continue growing. I owed it to those who supported me to return to where I can contribute most."
In Canadian law, there are two forms of offences: summary offences, which are considered less serious, and indictable offences, which are more serious. Most crimes in Canada are prosecuted as hybrid offences, which means that depending on how serious the crime is, it could be prosecuted as either summary or by indictment.
Had Kosovic been convicted on an indictment, he would have been disqualified from holding office and would have had to give up his seat, resulting in a by-election. Doddridge noted that no by-election is required at this time.
Kosovic will be returning to his council duties on May 28, and the reinstatement of Kosovic's committee appointments will be considered at a future council meeting. Before his leave of absence, Kosovic was the Village of Clinton representative on the Gold Country Communities Society board, the Clinton Seniors' Society, the Senior Citizen Housing Society, and the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association.
Kosovic thanked both his girlfriend and members of the community for their support during the legal proceedings. Kosovic noted going forward he plans to be fully present for his family, his students and the community who have put their trust in him.
"This has been a humbling chapter. I’ve taken steps to address my health, to reflect, and to grow. My focus now is on restoring trust, continuing to serve with integrity, and using this experience as a foundation for betterment, not just for myself, but for those I represent," Kosovic said.
Kosovic noted he has been keeping up with the affairs of the Village of Clinton's council and plans to hit the ground running at the next meeting with some new proposals.
Kosovic is currently in his first term as a member of the Village of Clinton council, after being elected in the 2022 municipal election. The next municipal election in B.C. will take place in October 2026.
With files from Barbara Roden and Patrick Davies.
